asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on the poor quality of Irish beef exported to the Continent and the effect it will have on the farming community.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beef Exports.
51.
I do not accept that poor quality Irish beef has been exported to the Continent. When a strong market opened up there recently, a proportion of good quality cattle and beef which would be very suitable for other markets was included by some exporters in supplies from here but the quality was not the most acceptable for the Continental trade, which is for very lean beef. It is a matter of trading experience and supply specifications to cater for particular market demands.
Is the Minister aware that the newspapers gave this matter wide publicity? Is he further aware that the people who will suffer as a result of this are the farmers and will the Minister ensure that there will be no danger of any repetition of this in the future and that orders are met correctly? We had the experience before of goats being exported to Smith-field market as lamb. None of us wants this to happen again because, if it does, it is the farmers who will suffer.
As I said, I do not accept that poor quality Irish beef was exported.